The Twelve Days of Christmas
by Texas Longhorn
Summary: A Christmas challenge! Each day until Christmas I will update this story, and no chapter is allowed to be longer than a thousand words. As everyone congregates at the newlywed Ketchum household for the holidays, drama ensues amongst guests Dawn, Gary, May, and Drew! Contains Contest and Cavaliershipping. Dedicated to my wonderful girlfriend, Emily, aka Texaslonghorngirlfriend!
1. On the First Day

**Hey Everybody!**

I know, it's been a month since I updated A New Journey, but I'm getting close to graduating college (and, consequently, deciding a career), so life has been really busy lately. Because of that, and because I LOVE Christmastime, I've been dedicating all my time to this fic. As stated in the summary, the challenge is a new chapter everyday up to Christmas, and no chapter can be longer than a thousand words! So please, read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

* * *

"This was a mistake."

"No it wasn't."

"Yes…yes it was. We were nuts thinking we could pull this off."

"Pika."

"Exactly."

"You don't even know what he said!"

"He agreed with me! Mist, it'll be alright. You need to stop pulling your hair out for nothing."

"For nothing? We've got eleven days till Christmas and three days till guests start showing up and you think that's nothing? What'll your mom think when she finds out I couldn't handle our first Christmas?"

"The same thing she thinks about everything; that it was somehow my fault. She thinks you're an angel, remember?"

"All that'll go flying out the window when she hears what a disaster this all was."

"We've been busy! We just got married a few months ago, after all. And the apartment's barely been unpacked, and the jobs are obviously taking up a lot of time."

"Then we shouldn't have done this."

"…well, yeah, maybe we shouldn't have. I mean, hindsight and all, this was a lot to take on after the year we've had already, but that doesn't mean we're sunk! We've got plenty of time to make this get-together work!"

"I'm just glad she won't be here to witness it firsthand…"

"Will you calm down? We've got plenty of time. You said it yourself!"

"No, Ash. No. We have three days before our first guest arrives, and after that the floodgates shoot wide open."

"Mist, we just have to come up with a strategy."

The redhead rolled her eyes as she backed the wooden chair away from the couple's new dining table. She walked into their adjacent kitchen and turned on the fluorescent lighting; pouring herself another cup of coffee and giving her new husband a look of exhaustion.

"Hun, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but this isn't a Pokémon battle. You've been spending so much time with the Battle Frontier that I think you're starting to lose it. Not everything can be won with a last-minute, original strategy."

Ash followed her and folded his arms from across the counter. "You don't give Pokémon battles enough credit, Mist. They're very relatable to life, and especially this situation!"

She sighed, looking at the time on the microwave from the corner of her eye. Perfect. Another night that she was up past one.

"We have our backs against the wall now, but if we approach this with open minds, then we can find a weak spot to attack! Now let's look at your list of things to do again."

"Ugh, I really don't wanna," she whined, throwing her head back as she walked around the counter and into Ash's arms, almost falling asleep in his chest. "I'm _so tired_."

"Me and you both," he sighed reluctantly.

The couple had been working overtime in their respective positions; Ash at his new job as the Vermillion City Frontier Brain, and Misty as a low-level assistant to a renowned marine biologist in the city. Neither position paid a great deal, which explained their eight hundred square-foot, two-bedroom apartment.

"I don't know how you're staying so positive about all this," she mumbled, stepping back and taking a hard sip. "Ugh, needs cream."

Ash smiled. "You know I'm your biggest fan. I know you and I can pull this off with some hard work. I don't give up in battles and I'm definitely not giving up on us!"

For the first time in a few hours, Misty cracked a smile. "Well, I'm glad to have a cheerleader." Walking back to the table, she picked up the list and her face fell again.

"Of course, it would've helped if we could've done some of this earlier."

"Like what?"

"Like the shopping."

"Well, we didn't start pulling steady income till last month, and we were still basically on honeymoon before that. Then we got the place and had to buy furniture…we really haven't had the money for presents until now…still don't, really." He gave a slight chuckle at their desperate situation.

She walked over to the couch and flopped backward over the arm and onto the cushion - taking care not to spill. Staring blankly at the ceiling, she shuddered. "But do you realize how bad the shopping's gonna be now? Everyone waits last minute. I'll be lucky if I don't have to call Gyarados out just to find a clerk."

Ash laughed at the thought.

Misty looked over their long-ignored "to do" list once again. "It would also help if I hadn't married someone who's totally helpless in all these departments…"

Amusement quickly turned to insult as the raven-haired trainer shot his wife a pouting glance. "Helpless how?"

"Shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. Honestly, if Pikachu hadn't already shocked you so much I'd be a little worried about letting you do the lights!" She shot him a smug look and carefully took another sip from her awkward position.

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not some helpless moron, Mist. Or do you not remember that we both graduated from the same college?"

"First, I still think you cheated. And second, even if that's true, book smarts have nothing to do with practical stuff like this," she explained, holding up the list. "We're dead, and I'm the only one who can save us from being ridiculed for years to come from our friends."

"Give me that list," he shot, snatching the list from her hands and scanning it over. "I could easily…hmm."

"See? Not so easy, huh?"

"Yeah it is! I just have so many things on here I can do that it's hard for me to choose!"

She rolled her eyes playfully and took another drink. The caffeine's effect was almost null at this point after so many all-nighters in a row, but she was addicted to the idea of coffee; the belief that this bean elixir could somehow sustain her relentless schedule.

"Right here!" he pointed, three rows down the list. "I'll cook!"

"Oh, please," she muttered; knowing all too well the fight she had just provoked.


	2. On the Second Day

**Hey Everybody!**

Day two, or December 15 (in both our world and theirs) is here! I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge a PM I got from a fan who mentioned I published this story last year. Actually, I had unfortunately become too busy last December to complete the challenge (only getting through three days), so I took that story down. The general plot's the same between this fic and last year's, but I've made some changes to those first few chapters to better accommodate alterations I've woven to the sub-plots. So after tomorrow, all the chapters will be completely original, but I didn't want to start this story four days in based on last year's failed attempt. Anyway, as always, please read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

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"Let It Snow" played in the background as Drew sorted through the wads of clothing strewn about the couch.

"Ugh, do you ever clean this place?" he asked, holding up a lone pink sock and giving it an inquisitive stare.

"Oh, ha, ha," May responded sarcastically, her head sticking out of the kitchen. "And you wonder why I don't invite you over for dinner more often?"

He shrugged, tossing the sock aside after being unable to find its match. "I'm just saying. We've got four days to go and this place looks unbelievably unorganized. Frankly, this is the reason I never invite you to my place."

Though he couldn't see it, her jaw dropped at the comment as her temper rose. She threw the shutters between kitchen and living room in her studio apartment open. "Whaddya mean?! You told me it was a mess and you didn't want me to see!"

"Oh! Oh yeah…"

"Don't even try to come up with an excuse now! Ugh, I can't believe I've never even stepped foot in your apartment after we've been together all these years!"

Smirking, he rolled his eyes as she went back to her cooking. Taking a few steps, he walked into the kitchen and kissed the back of her head - startling the brunette, who was intently focused on her stirring. "I'm sorry. That was mean…I guess I still have a flare for our old rivalry every now and then. Anyway, you can see it soon, I promise."

Testily, May exhaled and allowed her temper to burn out. She could never stay mad at him long. "I know. And I know this place is kinda a mess." She motioned to the mountain of dishes in the sink. "Not to mention my roommate's never here since she spends most nights with her boyfriend, so there's no help around here in getting anything done."

"Yeah, I get it," Drew answered. He bit his tongue as a sarcastic remark struggled to get out.

_Better to let her dream._

"Well, the good news is that the noodles are almost done," she informed turning around and placing her arms behind his neck. "They shouldn't take more than a few minutes now!"

He smiled back. "I'm glad. You make the best spaghetti and meatballs I've ever tasted! Definitely needed as fuel for the greatest coordinator in Hoenn!"

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. She was beginning to fear she'd never break his competitive nature – though she secretly was glad to find it was so resilient in their rivalry even after all these years of being together. "Thank you. It _is _tough being the greatest."

Before he could respond she cut him off. "Anyway, you could help out with the meatball part of these spaghetti and meatballs if you want. I already have the hamburger meat, onions, and bell peppers out but I need the veggies diced and the meat rolled."

He shook his head. "Sorry honey, but I gotta head out for a few minutes. I have some last minute Christmas shopping to get done before we leave."

May gave her boyfriend a playful stare. "This wouldn't happen to be for a certain necklace I've been ogling the last three months, would it? Because if it is, I'd just like to remind you that it's the diamond-encrusted heart, with the white gold chain."

Suddenly, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled her face close to his. "_White gold_," she muttered with a slightly menacing tone, before pushing him away with a friendly wave and smile.

"Not silver, please!"

_Yikes._

"Try to be back before supper's ready!" she added as he walked to the door and put on his coat. "I love you!"

"Love you too," he answered, giving her a nervous grin before stepping out. She could be a real threat when she wanted.

Pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main road, he thought of how dense May could be sometimes. It was part of her nature, and part of the reason he loved her, but she had a serious habit of underestimating herself.

_She thinks she's just gonna get a necklace after all we've been through together?_ He smirked as he remembered the first time they'd met as kids. Back then she had been just as unaware. _So unsure, so intimidated. _She wasn't much different now. Sure, she was more confident in her skills as a coordinator, but in life she still miscalculated the difference she made…but he hadn't.

Reaching the parking lot of the mall, he sighed and began scanning every inch of the concrete jungle for a spot. Finding one relatively near the jewelry store, he gratefully pulled in and briskly walked towards the doors. His mind wandered as he made a quick pace towards the sliding doors. A crush of people passed him both ways – busy parents and happy children all preparing for the season. On both sides of the doors Santa slung his bells back and forth with one hand while the other held a red bucket.

Giving the coated man some money, Drew took a step inside and walked past the glass counters, looking for his desired present.

_Aha._

He waited until an associate appeared, giving the green-haired young man a quick smile.

"Is there something in this case you'd like a better look at?"

Drew shook his head. "No. I know which one I want. That one, in a size five."

The older associate's grin widened as he pulled the item out and observed it. "Quite a beaut. For a special girl?"

Drew blushed. "Yeah…you could say that."

"One sec." The old man stepped over to a counter in the back and unlocked it, looking for the item in the requested size.

_I can't believe I'm about to do this._

"Here's your ring, young man."


	3. On the Third Day

**Hey Everybody!** Here's day three! I sure hope everyone who's reading is enjoying, and I want to give a shout-out to all my reviewers. Y'all are small in number, but are honestly a major motivation for me to continue this story! Please continue to give me your feedback - good or bad - so I can continue to improve as a writer. I truly appreciate any and all reviews, whether they're a paragraph or one word. Anything at all! So now, read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

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Checking the alarm system one last time, Gary locked the gym's doors and started back to his small house. On his way, he enjoyed the view of children playing in the newly fallen Pallet snow and the growing excitement of Christmastime approaching in his old hometown.

He had only returned a few months ago, but already hoped that his stay would not last much longer. Though he'd graduated along with Ash and Misty, a Pokémon Researchers' career prospects were grim unless they had field experience; which is the reason he came back to Pallet. His grandfather was more than happy to provide him a job as an official assistant to boost his résumé, but in order to get it he had to move back home and help Oak in his research on Pokémon evolution.

It wasn't bad work or pay, but Gary was feeling a little restless. All his friends were off in big cities with big plans, and he was stuck back here doing gym leader work part-time for extra money. Fortunately, his grandfather's friend was kind enough to rent him his house for a year while he was in Johto on long-term business. Gary would have refused the job if it meant he would have had to move back in with his grandfather. At least the rented house allowed him some delusion of maturity.

Getting inside the small suburban dwelling, he kicked off his shoes and walked to his bedroom, where the suitcase he'd taken out last night rested on his bed half-full.

_Who'd've guessed ol' Ashy-boy would beat me to growing up? He's already married and has a career!_ he mused, folding a few more shirts to pack. _I, on the other hand, don't even have a girlfriend, let alone any idea what I wanna do the rest of my life._

Not that he had _no _idea what his life had in store. A degree in Pokémon Biology and Physiology left him with few options beyond Pokémon research, after all – which didn't bother him in the slightest. His passion was working with Pokémon. No, what bothered him was that he didn't have any idea what _kind_ of research he was interested in; after all, there were virtually thousands of facets of Pokémon research in development at this moment, and he couldn't decide which to pursue. Even if he did know, he wasn't sure how he could get into that field.

_Can't exactly knock on a professor's door and just ask him to let me work for him._

Shrugging, he went to the bathroom and began filling up his shaving kit when the phone suddenly rang, startling him from his reverie.

"Hello?"

The video screen popped up and Delia's face appeared.

"Hi Gary! I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time!" She gave the brunette her typical sweet smile, and he reflexively reciprocated.

"Not at all, Mrs. Ketchum. What's up?"

"Well, I know you're going to Ash's little Christmas get-together, so I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking some of my presents for the kids with you?"

He shook his head. "Not at all, Mrs. K." It would actually cost him more to bring the extra packages, but Ash's mom was one of the few people in the world he'd never say no to. She had always been so sweet to him and his family. "I can come by on my way to the airport in a few days and pick them up."

"Oh, thank you so much! I could have mailed them, but it just feels so impersonal doing that, you know? Besides, they'll be here a few days after Christmas so they can get the rest of their presents then in person, but I wanted the newlyweds to have something from me to open on Christmas morning."

Gary nodded. "You know, it's not too late for you to come. I know Ash would love it!"

"Oh, I'd love to, but I've got some family of my own that I need to go see in Viridian, and they're coming here the day after Christmas with you, anyway. Besides, between you and me, I don't want to be the wet blanket old lady at their young, fun, first Christmas!"

"What?!" Gary was genuinely shocked. "Mrs. Ketchum, you know Misty and Ash would die if they heard you say that! We would all love you there!"

The older woman gave her son's rival a smile. "Well thank you, Gary, but sometimes my age gives me the advantage of knowing how things will be before they happen."

"Huh?"

"This is a party with six kids in their late teens and early twenties at Christmastime. It's destined to be a…well, an interesting few days, I'm sure. Kids your age find adventure in everything, and I'm getting too old to keep up." She gave the brunette a wide smile. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you got caught up in something."

Gary gave a half-laugh. "Thanks, but no thanks. If I can get through this vacation without getting in a fistfight with your son I'll consider it a success. I'm not looking for any adventure beyond that."

She gave him a knowing smirk. "That's when it always happens to you. Just keep an open mind for me, okay? I know your grandfather would love to see you meet a nice girl."

Gary started to blush. "Uh, well, okay, thanks Mrs. Ketchum."

Seeing that she'd embarrassed him, Delia changed subjects. "So you can really come and get these gifts before you leave?"

"Yes ma'am," he answered, relieved. "I'll come by about noon to grab them on the nineteenth."

"Thank you so much. Be safe!"

"Sure will!"

"And remember what I told you!"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Gary gave a polite nod before hanging up.


	4. On the Fourth Day

**Hey Everybody!** Day four is now up! Also, if you reviewed last chapter, thank you so much! I see we have a few new reviewers on here, as well as several returning ones and I'm excited to have you all on board. I know a couple of you have also Private Messaged me, and I will respond to those this evening, honest! As I said last chapter, reviews are important; not only so that I can improve as a writer and stay determined to work through this fic, but also because the more reviews we get here, the more traffic this story will get on the website, and the more people can join in our little dose of Christmas cheer here on . So please, read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE! Even one word reviews are much appreciated if that's all you have time for!

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Piplup was sitting atop the suitcase as Dawn pulled it out from under him.

"Pip!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Piplup! I didn't notice you were there!"

The penguin Pokémon rubbed his head from the plummet onto the mattress before giving Dawn a smile. "Pip-lup!"

"It's been a while since we've seen everyone, huh? I wonder how they're doing?"

"Lo-lo!" Lopunny pulled on Dawn's sneakers, trying to get her trainer out the door and onto the magnet train. Dawn gave her normal type a sly grin.

"Oh, I know why you're so excited to go. I'm sure Pikachu's excited too." She gave her evolved friend a wink, and Lopunny averted her gaze, but continued to pull on her shoe to the door. "Ok, ok. Let's go."

Walking out the apartment building, she took a right and headed down the busy main street of the city, noting the hustle and bustle of the metropolis as adults hurried to their office buildings and children rushed by with their backpacks.

_Glad that's over with, at least_, she thought happily as she watched two pre-adolescents make their way to the Pokémon academy up ahead. She'd actually just submitted her final papers for a graduation certificate from the Pokémon League's Education Center. It was mandatory for all children traveling with Pokémon to essentially homeschool themselves while on the road, and she'd gratefully completed her final test online just a few weeks before to wrap up her required education. Though all of her friends had gone to school after their journeys to continue their education, she had already decided to take a break from books and focus only on contests for a while before considering college. Her mom was never that pushy about Dawn's schooling, and she felt no real compulsion to make that commitment until she was sure there was something she wanted to do that she could not do without a college degree. For now, contests and winning prize money was more than enough of a life for the young coordinator.

Without even realizing it, she suddenly found herself at the train station. Looking at her Pokénav, she saw she was just in time. Hurrying, she scanned her ticket and found her train preparing to lift.

Hopping onboard, she found a corner seat. She sat on one side, and across Piplup sat in Lopunny's lap. The two Pokémon stared out the window and Dawn followed suit. Soon, the hazy air and busy atmosphere of Goldenrod gave way to the classic, traditional beauty of east Johto in winter. Snow was falling outside, and the hills and small villages they passed were all lightly covered.

Dawn sighed. It would be nice to share views like this with someone besides her Pokémon friends, she thought lazily, feeling herself beginning to doze off.

It wasn't like she wasn't dating. The last month alone she'd gone out with three different guys – being in the coordinating spotlight was a great way to meet men – but she just couldn't force herself to feel interested. Maybe this break from her circuit was what she needed. Relaxing with friends, in an atmosphere with zero drama and zero prospects for romance sounded nice.

"_When you stop looking is when it'll happen,"_ her mom always said.

"If that's true, then I'm definitely ready," Dawn muttered dreamily, feeling herself giving into the tranquil bliss of the scenery and the utterly hypnotic hum of the train.

As she drifted in and out of a hazy slumber, she found her mind wandering back to someone – a surprising someone, in fact.

Gary Oak.

A few months ago, the young researcher had shown up on her doorstep appearing haggard and drenched. He'd explained that he was in Johto for a couple of weeks to study the evolution habits of Drowzee in the area when a sudden downpour had occurred. Without a tarp for his camping gear, he called Ash to see if his friend knew of anyplace he could stay beyond the crowded Pokémon Center. As it happened, Ash did have a connection in the city: Dawn's temporarily leased apartment.

Though it was a cramped one bedroom, Dawn eagerly made room. She was lonely, and having a friend stay a couple of days, she figured, would be fun; even if it was more an acquaintance.

As it turned out, the two became quite close over the next three days. She personally felt as if he chose to stay the extra day out of pure leisure considering the storm had subsided the evening before. Regardless, she was happy to have him. They would spend the days walking around Goldenrod and shopping, and the evenings in cozy cafes littered amongst the glimmering Goldenrod nightlife, talking excitedly in hushed whispers.

Gary had seemed to enjoy Dawn's personality. Specifically, her confidence. More than once he mentioned that she reminded him much of Ash, and he laughed playfully at several boasts and remarks she made in relation to her skill. As for Dawn, Gary's ego was sizable in its own right, but she was more interested in the man underneath. He was so smart, a scholar, and he truly loved Pokémon – very attractive.

Before she knew it, the train began to slow down. Looking out the window, rubbing her tired eyes, she gleefully invited Piplup and Lopunny back to their pokéballs and grabbed her luggage in both hands.

Lining herself at the door, the second the car came to a halt she jumped off and onto the Saffron platform. Her head swung from side-to-side, looking eagerly through the waves of people.

"Dawn! Over here!" Misty waved and shouted eagerly to her left.

With a squeal, Dawn jostled through the crowd and to her friend.

"It's so great to see you Misty!"

"You too!"

They hugged, and Misty grabbed one of the bags.

"Let's get back to Vermillion!"


	5. On the Fifth Day

**Hey Everybody!** Here's day number five! Once again, I want to thank all of my wonderful reviewers for their input. I say it every time, but I mean it, I truly enjoy every word - positive or constructive - whether it's a paragraph or a single word. Please feel free to comment and leave me your thoughts! Now go ahead and read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

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"Who?!"

"Gary."

Dawn blinked and tried to breath. Then she blinked instead.

"I-I didn't know he was coming. You said it was just us, May, and Drew?"

Misty shrugged. "No biggie. Gary said the Professor gave him time off. Could you hand me the tape?"

"…hello?"

"Oh! Sorry, here." Misty quickly polished off another gift. "Wow, you're way better at this than me."

"When you live with an irresponsible bunch of sisters, you learn to do a lot of things for them…including gift wrapping."

Ash popped his head in the empty spare bedroom. "You sure you don't need my help?"

Misty rolled her eyes to Dawn. "No. We need the gifts to be wrapped, not you wriggling on the floor covered in tape."

"See how she disrespects me? That's my wife talking like that!"

Dawn giggled. "She has a point. Besides, she's blowing me out of the water. No need to worry about the gifts with her in charge."

"Alright, then I'm headed to the Frontier."

"Any challengers?"

"Not likely, but there's a ton of paperwork I need to get done if I want to take a week off."

"Ugh. Well, tell Mark and the gang I said hey."

"Will do," he answered, slipping away. In the living room, Misty heard him call for Pikachu before opening the front door. "Love you!"

"Love you too!" Dawn answered, winking at a giggling Misty.

"Um…awkward."

"I love you too!" Misty replied, laughing. "Be safe in this snow!"

With that, the door closed.

"So why're you freaked out about Gary coming? You two get in a fight when he stayed with you?" Misty reached for another box and spread out more paper on the carpet.

At this point, Dawn gave up her job and leaned back on her elbows. "Actually, the opposite. You can't tell anyone, ok?"

"Deal," Misty nodded, looking up for a moment with a glance of pure curiosity before refocusing on the wrapping. "Sorry, but I have to do this while you talk. I'm super stressed about how much we have left to do and I'll go nuts if I don't stay productive."

Dawn waved it off. "Anyway, when he stayed with me…we just got close."

Misty sat up again for a moment, her eyebrows high. "_How_ close?"

"Oh! Not like that," Dawn laughed, waving away any suspicion. "I just mean we got to know each other pretty well those few days."

"Really?" There was a stifled laugh in Misty's tone. "That's kinda surprising!"

"Yeah, for me too. But…I dunno. When we hung out those days, it was just like we had a lot in common. Favorite colors, poems, Pokémon. It was a lot of shared stuff, and then I got to learn about all the stuff he's doing as a grad student. He's really smart!"

Misty was certainly thrown by the news, but one look at Dawn and she knew the teen was smitten. Instead of her quick-thought snarky reply, she flashed a genuine smile. "Yeah, I guess he is. And you two really have stuff in common?"

"Yeah! Just like, everything we like, even movies and random stuff like that."

"Did you ever tell him how you felt?"

Dawn blushed. "Uh, no way. After three days? I think it would've looked a little desperate, don't you?"

Misty laughed. "Yeah, maybe. I'm getting used to marriage, where there's no game anymore, but I guess that's not an option. Well, did you talk after he left?"

"Nope. That's why this is so awkward."

"Well I'm sorry about that. I honestly didn't know, or I could've-"

Dawn shook her head. "It's not your fault. And even if you had known I wouldn't have wanted you to change it. For one, he and Ash are great friends, so I know they're excited, but also I hafta admit a little part of me is excited too."

"Maybe it's fate?"

Dawn smirked. "I don't believe in fate, so much. But I do believe in making your own destiny. And this is a great chance to do just that!"

Suddenly, the two were interrupted as Pikachu and Lopunny ran into the room. Pikachu was playfully avoiding and dodging her touch as the two ran around the room, hiding behind the trainers.

"Pikachu?" Misty picked up the yellow mouse. "I thought you went with Ash?"

Dawn giggled as she patted Lopunny's head. "I guess he decided to ignore Ash for some reason, right Lopunny?"

"Pun!"

Misty shook the scruff atop Pikachu's head. "Are you happy to see your friend after all this time?"

"Pi!" With that, he quickly bounded out of the room, Lopunny quickly behind him.

"Those two are playing a whole different game," Misty joked.

Dawn giggled. "Wow, how'd you finish two more presents in this time? I didn't even notice you do it."

"I told you! I'm the wrapping master of the universe!" With that, she jumped up and swung a roll of snowflake paper.

"Master," Dawn joked with a salute. "I bow to your skill."

Misty chuckled and dropped the roll. "Ugh, well, we're not out of the woods yet. I still have some last minute stuff I need to get."

"No need to worry! We can hit the mall today! If Gary's coming, I better grab something for him, anyway."

"Oh, we're doing Secret Santa, remember? You have May!"

Dawn gave the water trainer a look.

"Actually, now that I think about it, Ash has May. You have Gary," she corrected with a wink.

"Thanks, Misty! So do you wanna go?"

Checking her phone, Misty shook her head and suddenly looked frantic again. "I have to get to work!"

"But it's noon?"

"I have weird hours during fieldwork days. You could go without me if you need."

Dawn shook her head and smiled. "No, it's fine. We'll go tomorrow!"

"Sounds good! Till Ash gets back, help yourself to anything!" With that, Misty grabbed her coat and headed for the door, nearly toppling over Pikachu as she ran to the door.


	6. On the Sixth Day

Hey Everybody! Sorry for updating in the evening the last two days. I've actually already written these chapters, but it's been a busy couple of days Christmas shopping and whatnot, so I'm sorry for the tardiness! Tomorrow I'll get day seven up much quicker. Thank you to all my reviewers for their thoughts and constructive criticism, and I urge you to keep it coming! Y'all are definitely the fuel I need to complete this fic. Anyway, go ahead now and read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

* * *

Dawn gave herself one last glance in the mirror. A red Christmas sweater with blue jeans and brown boots, along with expertly controlled hair that ended with perfectly measured bangs swaying above her eyes. It had taken two hours, including shower and make-up, but her hair and outfit finally looked like she wanted – not so perfect that it appeared she had tried, but still perfect enough that she looked hot.

_Can't ruin the big reunion, after all._ With a hop, she left the bathroom with Piplup in tow.

"Thanks for letting me use your bubbles!"

"Pip-lup!" The penguin clapped his wings as his trainer set him down on the kitchen counter. He was tired after an hour of hair care, but was excited to see a bowl of food waiting for him.

"After you eat I'll take you outside to do your business and then everyone should get here!"

"Punny!"

"Oops, sorry! Forgot to get a bowl for you too!" As Lopunny pouted, Dawn grabbed another dish from the cabinet and put it on the counter next to the chirping Piplup. She opened another can and emptied its contents. "Eat up!"

She drifted as the two chowed down. It was exciting to be excited about something again. Even her contests had lately grown a little tiresome – the same routines and judges and hotel rooms. It was her dream, but the existence of a nomad held the potential for monotony just like any lifestyle if run through like a treadmill.

Gary was the cure to all that. The men she had dated in the past were just like everything else in her life; up in the air and temporary. She never saw anything in them that made her want a second date or hardly a kiss goodnight.

A sudden tug at her shoelace caught her attention. "Oh! You need to go now?"

"Pip!"

Grabbing her coat, the two headed out the door and down the stairs. Finding a small field of dying grass next to the building, she headed in that direction.

"Don't play for too long!" she cautioned as Piplup ran ahead. He loved the cold weather, as evidenced by his frolicking with a ladybug he'd just happened upon. "I can't stay out here forever."

As her breath crystallized before her eyes, her mind wandered again.

_Where was I? Oh yeah, he's different._

And he was. But it was far too soon to know if this was more than a passing fancy. Still, three days together was longer than she'd been able to tolerate most guys, and that was at least something worth investigating.

For the most part, she blamed her lack of interest in previous dates on the selection pool female coordinators had. Most male coordinators were gay, highly effeminate, way too into themselves, or some odd combination of the three. Gary, though, was much more real than those guys. He was a little rugged after all his traveling and rough adventures, but had the mind of a scholar, and the soul of a poet, which, she knew, he shared with his grandfather.

Sighing, she realized Piplup was calling to her again. He was clearly getting tired of her drifiting in and out of reality.

"Oh-ok! Let's go back inside!" Going back up the stairs, Dawn was surprised to see the door close as she reached the third floor.

Her heart began to quicken.

_Are they here already?! _She hurried to an apartment window facing out to the corridor and gave herself one final inspection. A few hairs were out of place, but besides that and the mild cardiac arrest she was entering, everything seemed fine.

Taking a slow breath, her and the Pokémon made their way to the Ketchum door. Without another moment's hesitation, she grabbed the handle and twisted it in.

"We're back!"

"Dawn!" Before she could react, May was hugging her tightly. "It's been so long! How are you?"

Trying to catch her breath, the bluenette nodded. "Pretty good, besides you crushing my lungs."

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm just so glad to see everyone again!"

In relative nonchalance compared to his girlfriend, Drew stuck out a hand. "Good to see you again. It's been about two years, right?"

She nodded and smirked a little. "That's right. When Mamoswine took out that Roserade of yours in the Ecruteak contest, I believe."

Drew scoffed. "Just in battle. Roserade's style points were much higher."

"Now Drew," May interrupted in a sing-song lilt, "we all know the better coordinator won that day. Don't be a sore loser!"

"Fine," he muttered, sticking out his hand once more. "You were better…_that_ day."

Dawn grinned. "I'll take it from the most boastful coordinator I've met."

The butterflies had died down a little at the momentary laughter amongst friends, but they reemerged as she looked beyond the two coordinators to the brunette across the kitchen bar.

Though she couldn't be sure, Gary looked mildly shocked.

"Hey there." He sounded a little hoarse, but a small smile appeared on his lips.

"Hey," she managed.

To everyone else in the room, nothing seemed out of the ordinary as they returned to their respective discussions. However, as May continued her conversation with Misty, the strawberry blond kept an eye on the two as Dawn walked toward the kitchen. She noticed the immediate wide grins and drawn-out hug.

_They've got it bad._


	7. On the Seventh Day

**Hey Everybody!** I'm in a bit of a hurry today, but here's day seven up a little earlier than I've updated the past couple of days! I hope you all enjoy. My reviews are really stepping up now, and I credit that to all my reviewers. As you know, the more reviews a story gets, the more it gets viewed on the website, and the more consequential reviewers we get as a result. As I always say - be it a paragraph or a word, I want your input in this story, so please review if you have just a moment to do so. Y'all continue to serve as my inspiration alongside Emily to see this story through to the end. Anyway, that's all I have for now. Now go ahead and read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

* * *

"I can't believe it!"

"Keep your voice down," Misty reminded nervously.

"Sorry!" May covered her mouth. "But what are the odds? You liking the one guy who comes here unattached? This is so cool! We can triple date!"

Dawn shook her head. "I don't know if I'm ready to do anything like that yet," she cautioned. "I just kinda like him after that visit, and I want to get to know him better."

"Oh, I get it." She winked and gave a thumbs-up. "You're scouting him out a little?"

Dawn blushed and rubbed her neck. "I guess, kinda."

"So now that you're caught up, just keep your eyes and ears open for any clues for how he feels about Dawn," reminded Misty. "But don't be too obvious about it! We have to make him come to her."

"Well, he looked pretty happy to see you yesterday."

Dawn shook her head. "Yeah, but after we talked a few minutes he got all awkward and we barely talked the rest of the night."

"Is that why you were tossing and turning in bed all night?"

She blushed again. "No! I'm just not used to sharing the covers!"

May giggled. "You_ were_ kinda a cover hog."

"No way."

Misty decided to speak up again. "As much fun as this is, we need to get going. I think we all have some last minute shopping to do."

Agreeing, the three girls wrapped up in the master bathroom before entering the living room to grab their coats.

"Now Ash, this is your last chance. Say the word, and we'll take care of Christmas dinner." Misty gave her trainer husband a serious look. "Now's not the time to let your pride get in the way. Christmas is on the line!"

He rolled his eyes. "Mist, you'll be eating your words five days from now…literally!"

He reached to high five Gary, who refused to participate. "I think I trust Misty more with the cooking than you, too."

"See?"

"Ugh! Go already! I'm gonna take care of dinner. You just worry about your half of the list."

"My half? More like my three-quarters! You only have this and the lights." She shoved her list in his face for emphasis, which he quickly pushed away.

"My stuff's harder. I win."

Before he could blink, Misty leaned down and kissed him hard. "You're lucky you're so cute, or I'd kill you."

With that and a long kiss between May and Drew, the girls were suddenly gone.

"Pika!"

"Pun!"

"Pikachu, get off the coffee table," Ash reminded, not bothering to get up. Instead he just waved the two Pokémon out of his view of the television. "Misty'll get mad if she catches you playing on there again."

Putting his feet up next to Ash's on the table, Gary snorted. "You're gonna be a great father someday. Between the undershirt, the can of soda, and laziness, you already look like a middle-age guy."

Ash gave him a dirty look. "Hey, I just closed the Frontier for the holidays, and the last two days have been some of the worst paperwork shifts I've ever dealt with. I deserve a day off."

"You can only afford that much time off," Drew noted, plopping into the chair next to the couch where Gary and Ash sat. He pulled out the leg rest and laid back. "If you're really gonna win this fight with Misty like you told us last night, you have to start preparing."

"Wait, the battle's back. We'll talk at commercial."

For a solid fifteen minutes, the young men sat in silence as a Class B exhibition match took place in Hoenn. No one spoke beyond a few helpful "smart move" and "that had to hurt" comments.

When the break came back, he turned to Drew. "Don't worry about it. I've got a shopping list. Tomorrow we'll go to the supermarket and get everything we need. After that, it's just throwing stuff in the oven and we're done!"

Now Gary rolled his eyes. "Somehow I think it'll be tougher than you're making it sound."

"Gary, who won in Johto?"

"Seriously? You're seriously bringing that up _now_? How many years has it been?"

"Who won? Me. I won. I know what I'm doing here."

"That'll be the day."

"Battle's back on," Drew noted.

Silence reigned again – now until the end of the match.

"Can we change it to a contest now, or something?"

"Sure," Ash handed him the remote.

Finding a match on ESPN, Drew sat back and quietly took in the contest as Ash and Gary continued their conversation.

"Why do we have to help you then? We're not ten. I don't feel like spending the week fighting between boys and girls."

He shook his head. "C'mon Gary, what else are you gonna do all week? You're just as competitive as me. You're gonna let them think we can't do anything for ourselves?"

"Who said anything about me? I know how to cook stuff."

"Yeah, but when they make fun of me, they're really making fun of all of us. They just think we're dummies."

Gary scoffed.

"I'm serious. I learned all about the women's movements at school. This is like that, but for us."

Drew nodded. "I actually think he's right. May's apartment looks like a nuclear meltdown occurred; yet she still acts like she knows best all the time. It's stupid."

"Well I don't have the woman problems you two suffer, so why should I waste my time?"

"Like I said, what else do you have to do?" Ash reminded. "And besides, from what I hear, you won't be single for much longer."

Gary perked a little at that. "What do you mean?"

"First," Ash noted, realizing his leverage, "are you gonna help us cook?"

With a final roll of his eyes, Gary nodded.

"Now what do you mean?"

"Dawn's apparently pretty into you. But don't say anything! Misty would never stop punching me."


	8. On the Eighth Day

**Hey Everybody!** Whew! I barely made my once a day deadline today! And the worst part? I had this chapter written a week ago! Haha, Emily and I were visiting some family of mine the last couple of days, and today we had to drive back and experienced several detours (both forced and voluntary) along the way that almost made me late. But I'm not! Yay! I'm starving though, and she just made dinner, so I'm going to cut this author's note short on insight. I do want to address a specific reviewer, though, called **RandomViewer3**. They asked me some questions last chapter and from chapter two that I will totally answer next chapter (I completely missed your first review a few days ago, by the way. Sorry!). I'm so sorry RV3! I really didn't see the first one, and since I'm so hungry I don't want to think about my answer to your second round of questions from yesterday's chapter too much right now, but rest assured I will answer all your questions in tomorrow's author's notes. Until then, again, thank you to all my reviewers! Y'all are wonderful and each deserve a cookie, so expect one in the mail soon. Also, if you're not reviewing, see what you're missing out on? Eh? Free cookies! Join the party you pre-diabetic outcasts! ARGH!

...sorry, I'm hungry. Anyway, please, as always, if it's one word or a thousand, I would love your thoughts, praise, or criticism! So please, read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

* * *

Ash dropped the turkey in the cart, and Drew pushed it on towards the vegetables.

"If you like her so much, why hadn't you called in months?" the coordinator asked.

Gary shrugged. "I didn't have her number."

His friends groaned.

"No, seriously! I know everyone says that, but we never had each others' numbers before, and I never thought to ask before I left."

"You could've asked me," Ash volunteered, holding up a bag of lettuce for inspection. "Anyone know what I'm looking for here, by the way?"

"Just check to see if there are any brown leaves, I guess," Drew offered.

He squinted. "Ugh, no, but there's some of that gross purple lettuce. I hate that!"

"Anyway," Gary steered, grabbing the bag from Ash and throwing it in the cart, "I didn't want to ask you and look desperate. I just figured we'd never see each other again."

"Both of you are my best friends. How'd you think you could avoid her?"

"Well, it would've helped if you'd mentioned she was coming! I didn't hear anything about that."

"We didn't even know you were coming till a few weeks ago. Sorry, but Mist and me have a lot more on our plates than you."

Drew grabbed a bell pepper. "You want some of these for the salad?"

"No!" Ash's eyes grew wide and he smacked the vegetable out of the coordinator's hand. "Sorry, but Misty hates only two foods: carrots and peppers. Always remember that, it could save your life."

Looking a little scared, Drew resumed pushing the cart forward. "What's next, Gary?"

"According to this, we need celery and onions for the stuffing. Then we need to get a baster."

Nodding, the three continued through the produce department.

"So do you like her?"

"Well, yeah, but you can't tell her!"

"Then why were you being all quiet around her last night?" Ash asked skeptically.

"…it's just weird. Now that I know how she feels, it's like I'm trying to act interested, but not too interested where I look desperate."

Ash shook his head. "This all sounds too complicated. I never did anything like this."

"Yeah, and you're married at twenty-two."

"So?"

"So you met your wife at ten. You don't know what it's like being single as a grown man. You have to play the game with girls or they won't waste their time with you."

"I agree with Gary. Before May and I started dating, I went out with a few other girls, and I know the least attractive thing you can do is look needy to a woman."

Ash rolled his eyes. "I don't care what you say about my age. Being married is so much better than dealing with all this."

"Please, Ash. As if your brain could've ever figured this stuff out."

"At least I didn't decide to never talk to the girl I liked again because I wanted to look cool."

There was a moment of silence.

"Huh, you actually have a point, Ketchum. Anyway, I was glad to see her a couple days ago, and at first we had fun catching up, but then she started acting kinda distant, so I decided to too since I didn't wanna look needy."

"This is giving me a headache. It's not complicated. You like her and she likes you, right?"

"Right."

"Then ask her out."

"You have to play the game, Ash."

"Hey guys, they have pre-chopped celery, but it's an extra dollar."

"We're splitting this, right?"

"Says who?"

"Well, we're all cooking, aren't we? So shouldn't we all have to chip in on the food?"

"I already shelled out plane money and now this?"

"Did I ask you to fly?" Ash asked, with his arms crossed. "You're the one who decided that rather than just drive a couple days.

"If it means you two won't get into another fight, I'll agree to a three-way split," Drew interjected. "You're giving me a headache."

Gary rolled his eyes and nodded. "Fine, but this meal better be delicious. Let's get the pre-chopped."

"I'm not a bad gourmet," Drew assured with a smug air. "Don't worry, you two are in good hands."

"Oh big surprise, the coordinator knows how to cook."

"What's that mean, Gary?"

Ash snickered and Gary winked at his trainer friend. "Oh, nothing. You coordinators are just different from trainers like us, I guess. While you were in the kitchen learning to be a 'gourmet,' we were off having adventures and battling for our lives with our Pokémon."

"Ha, ha. A coordinator joke. Very mature. I'll just assume you're mad that I'm the best looking guy here."

"What?"

"Yeah, what?"

The coordinator flashed a cocky smirk as he brushed his fingers through his green hair. "It's true. Girls constantly swoon over me."

"Maybe because they want the name of your stylist."

"Good one, Ashy-boy!"

"Ugh, are we gonna finish up here or what?"

"You're right," Ash nodded. "Let's get the onions and then we have to get the stuff for the casseroles in the canned section."

As they rolled along and idly debated the merits of various ingredients and brands, the trio gradually moved back to the subject of Gary and Dawn.

"So are you two really gonna just act like nothing's there when you both say there is?" Ash asked. "I mean, even if there is a game, how do you win?"

Gary shrugged and gave him a confused look. "I guess if we go out, I win."

"I think this is dumb. You need to tell her how you feel…if not directly, then at least give her some hints."

"That's not a bad idea," Drew added. "You at least need to flirt a little with her. Ash and I can cover for you tonight, and get you two alone so you can see how she responds."

After a brief chuckle, Gary suddenly caught himself considering the idea. "You know what? Let's try it. If she flirts back, we know she's interested."


	9. On the Ninth Day

**Hey Everybody!** Here's the ninth day! I'm so glad to see from everyone's reviews that y'all are all enjoying the story! Your words of encouragement and criticism have served as great inspiration to me personally…sincerely.

To honor my commitment from yesterday, I want to answer **JBronzecat**'s (aka RandomViewer3) question! On my author's page, I have written that I support Contestshipping, but only do so because it's important to keep the most annoying characters together. JB asked why I find Drew and May annoying, and to answer her, I have to explain that I wrote that about four years ago. Back then, I had just gotten back into the fandom and was immersed in the Sinnoh arc (having completely skipped Hoenn in the process). All I knew of May was that she was kind of shy and that Drew was vain, and those personality types annoy me in real life, so I just assumed I wouldn't like their characters on the show. However, as many Contestshipping fans will tell you, there's much more to their personalities than that, and over the years I've slowly come to change my opinion on the duo. They're actually amongst the most developed characters this sadly oftentimes-shallow television series has produced. As the years have gone on, it seems like the anime's characters have devolved into tired archetypes in many cases, but May and Drew are a great exception to that rule. Their characters were quite unique on the show, and for that I've grown to appreciate them quite a bit, making them my second-favorite ship (behind everyone's favorite couple, of course)! So there you have it, JB! I hope the answer satiates you, and that you continue to enjoy and review the last third of this fic!

To everyone else, please, as always, read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

* * *

May held up a couple of red ribbons. "Do you guys do the popcorn thing?"

"Not this year, at least. How come?"

"I just thought the tree would look crowded if you did both. These bows are so pretty on their own!"

"Those lights don't look half-bad either, right?" Ash gloated as he walked up from behind. The girls were gathered in the corner of the living room where the tree was newly furbished in white lights. "It looks like an expert did them."

Chuckling, Misty rolled her eyes along with May and Dawn. "You think you're hot stuff. Well then finish getting the lights strung around here. We have to make this place look festive!"

"Aw! We wanted to take a break and play video games…"

"Ash, you can't stop now! We only have three more days till Christmas, and you still have your big dinner after the lights are done."

"Psh, that's in two days. Like Dawn always says, no need to worry."

"I don't say it like that! And I haven't even said it in years…kinda."

May giggled. "Where's the other two?"

"I guess they started without me in the hallway. We're gonna string them along the upper-corners of the hall leading to the bedrooms, then do the same here and in the dining room. Will that be good enough for my highness?"

Misty posed her finger to her chin in a thoughtful manner. "We'll see, I guess."

He laughed and gave her a quick peck. "I love you."

"I love you too, hun!"

Marching back to the hall, he left the girls alone to decorate. "So what are we all hoping for for Christmas?"

May beamed as Dawn shrugged. "I don't know about Dawn, but I really am hoping Drew gets me a necklace I've been hinting at since August. It's sooooo pretty! White gold with a diamond encrusted heart!"

"After two years? You don't think he may be thinking of something more?" Misty gave the brunette a wink.

She blushed. "Well, uh, I don't know. I mean, I don't think we talk about it very often. I'm just so happy to have him as a boyfriend, you know? I don't want to put a lot of pressure on him to move before he's ready."

"Well, sometimes boys need a little pressure. Ash is honestly the greatest guy ever – no offense to you two – but even now he can be kinda dense sometimes. I don't think he would've ever thought of marriage by himself without me bringing it up."

"But weren't you afraid of scaring him off with that?"

She shook her head. "If it's the right guy, you can't scare him off talking about that. I mean, I didn't start off the conversation by showing up at his dorm in a white dress, but you don't need to worry about scaring him off too bad if you have been together two years!"

"I guess you have a point. It couldn't hurt to at least see where he's at in his thinking."

They turned their attention to the other coordinator. "What about you? What are you hoping for?"

"Honestly, I'm just here for the secret Santa thing. I guess I'm not really wishing for anything specific this year."

"Not even Gary?"

"N-no," she stammered, now blushing herself. "I mean, it could be nice to date, but-"

Gary suddenly appeared around the corner, looking put out.

"Misty, I don't know how you deal with that husband. I've never known someone who thinks he knows so much."

"Hey!" Ash called from the other room.

"That's part of his charm, I guess."

He sighed and gave a shrug. "To each their own. Well, anyway, Dawn are you still up to watching that movie later?" The last question sounded a bit rushed – as if asked in one breath.

"Movie?" May and Misty asked together.

"Sure am! So it's an old black and white one right?"

"Yeah, I used to watch it every year with Gramps. I think you'll like it."

"Are we invited?" Misty interjected.

Gary's face turned red. "Uh, yeah, of course. I just didn't know if you would or not since Ash said you guys had plans for a double date or something."

"Yeah, Misty, you _do_ have a date, remember?" Dawn reminded with wide, fierce eyes. She was almost shouting.

She stifled a laugh at their pained expressions. "Oh, that's right. Sorry, I forgot."

Exhaling, he smiled again. "Eight o'clock alright, then?"

"We better leave a little earlier to make sure we get good seats."

He grinned widely. "Well then…it's a date!" With that, he hustled back out of the living room, leaving Dawn with just as goofy a smile as he held.

"Why'd you ask us to join them?" May asked as her friend sat in a daze.

"I was just kidding. I figured we could find out how serious he thought this date was by whether or not he wanted us to be there."

"Wow! You're so smart!"

"I know," she winked. "So Dawn, why didn't you tell us about this?"

She shook herself back to reality and smiled. "I honestly didn't know. Last night we talked a bit, and he was starting to flirt kinda heavy with me so I did too. The last thing he said was that he heard the theater here was showing an old movie and he asked if I'd ever seen it. When I said no, he said I needed to, and I said we should together! But after that we got interrupted by everyone, and nothing else happened, so I wasn't sure."

In the hallway, Drew, Gary, and Ash all high-fived. "Way to go!"

"You were awesome!"

"I actually felt a little nervous," he admitted as he came down from the adrenaline high. "But I hafta admit, it feels good to get a yes."

Drew and Ash laughed alongside the young researcher as they discussed the next step.

"Well obviously, it has to be a kiss, right?"


	10. On the Tenth Day

**Hey Everybody!** Here's Day 10! I'm so happy to see everyone's enjoying the story, and I really want viewership to go up before Christmas gets here, so if you have any time at all please leave a review to increase interest! We only have a couple days left to spread Christmas cheer! So please, read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

* * *

"You alright, Drew?"

"Hm?" The coordinator looked surprised as he lifted his head. "Oh…oh, yeah. Just thinking."

"'Bout the proposal?"

"How'd you know?"

Ash flashed a sympathetic look. "Personal experience. It's scary for anyone right before you do it. It's like flying on a Charizard for the first time. No matter how confident you are in your Pokémon and yourself, you can't stop your legs from shaking before takeoff."

"That's a good analogy. You're not as dense as Misty acts."

"Of course not!" Ash laughed. "If I was I wouldn't be able to walk through a door! She just teases like I do because that's our relationship."

"Yeah, me and May do that too, some. I think we're a little more romantically-minded than you guys, though."

Ash stuck out his tongue. "We do that too, some, but you guys are way more into the mushy stuff than we are. May told us about the candlelight dinners and dances and serenading…you're _really_ into it."

"I guess," he shrugged.

"Well, whatever works for you. All that matters is that you're ready for this. It's a big step, trust me."

Turning serious again, Drew gave a solemn nod. "I'm ready. I know I am. I love May and can't imagine being without her. I even talked with her dad in Hoenn about proposing on the phone last week! He's excited, her mom's happy, and I know she'll say yes…"

"…but you're still shaking at the thought?"

Gulping, he nodded. The normally cool, calm, green-haired coordinator was flushed and appeared to be trembling slightly. "I-I just don't know why. Am I not ready?"

"Only you can answer that. But, I will say that you're not the first guy to be nervous about proposing."

"I'm not?"

Ash gave another quick chuckle. "You're not acting like yourself at all, Drew. You need my reassurance? Well no, of course not. This is the end of your freedom. Who _could_ take that lightly?"

"May seems like she's gonna handle it pretty well."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but girls are different. Misty's one of the most independent girls I've ever met, but when it came to getting married, she was the one who brought it up! Something about a diamond ring seems to make even girls like Mist give up their freedom with no problem. For me, though, it was a much bigger deal."

"And did you ever wonder-"

"Hey!" Gary suddenly stepped into the kitchen where the two young men stood, chopping celery as they talked. "He's calling!"

"Really?"

Ash excitedly ran to the bedroom videophone.

"Brock!"

"Hey, Ash!"

The Pokémon doctor happily waved at the screen. His wife, a Nurse Joy who worked in his hospital, waved alongside her new husband.

"How are you and Emily?"

He smiled broadly. "We actually just got back from the beach, and when we saw your message I told her we'd have to wait a few more minutes before we could eat the takeout we ordered on the way home."

"Oh! Sorry! We didn't know you were out so late!"

He waved off the comment. "That's the great thing about honeymoons; no curfew! But you're my best friends, so it's no problem! Your voicemail sounded urgent, though."

Ash nodded. "Actually, yeah. See, Misty was making this big deal about how I couldn't contribute to our Christmas party, so I said I'd cook, and now we realized we don't know what we're doing. We can chop stuff and heat stuff, but we're kinda lost on some instructions."

"We?"

"Gary and Drew are here too." At that, the coordinator and researcher popped up behind Ash and waved.

"Oh, hey guys!" Brock returned the gesture before putting his attention back to Ash. "So you and her still go at it, huh?"

He chuckled and nodded in reply.

"Well, in that case, I don't know if I should interfere. As I recall, doing that usually got me a hit on the head!"

"Oh, come on. You're all the way over there. She can't get you!"

Laughing, Brock agreed. "Alright. Well, I'm going to send you a link to a website I use a lot. It has plenty of recipes for different occasions, and videos showing you how to cook them!"

"Really? Awesome! Thanks, Brock! And thanks for letting us talk, Emily!"

"You're welcome!" they answered in unison.

"Have a merry Christmas, you guys!"

"You too, Brock-o!"

As the screen turned to black, the boys waited for the link to appear on the screen.

"So what were you guys talking about?" Gary asked, taking a seat on Ash's bed. Drew joined him.

"Drew's proposal."

"Oh yeah! You think that's happening soon?"

The coordinator shrugged. "Well, I have the ring, so yeah, I think so. I mean, I'm excited…just nervous."

To his surprise, Gary didn't make a sarcastic remark. Instead, he gave a solemn look. "Yeah, women can do that to you."

"Does this have anything to do with your date last night?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Outside, the girls were walking their Pokémon and listening to Dawn.

"So it's going great! We're watching this old movie and making little jokes while it plays. We're the only ones in the whole theater, just sharing popcorn and getting along, but as it ends, I notice he starts to act quiet."

"Quiet?"

"Yeah! Like I would ask him something and he'd barely respond. Then we walk back and the whole time he's still silent."

"Do you think he was sick?" Misty asked.

Dawn shrugged. "I don't know what was wrong, but by the time we got to the door he was sweating and looked pale, so I asked if he needed water or something, but he just muttered something and climbed into his sleeping bag."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"What?!"

"How could you not kiss her?!"

"I-I don't know. We were having a great time…I knew I had it…"

Drew was wild-eyed. "Have you never done this before?"

"What? Of course! Several times with different girls…but this time, I just couldn't."


	11. On the Eleventh Day

**Hey Everybody!** Merry Christmas Eve! Thank you to all my reviewers once again for your support and input throughout this series! It's a special story to my heart, and sharing it with all of you has been an absolute joy. As always, please review even if you have only a moment to do so. Let's try to spread this story far and wide before the big day arrives. So now, please read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE! And at the end, take notice of a VERY SPECIAL AUTHOR'S NOTE.

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"Pull it out of the oven!"

"It's too early, Ash!"

"No! The website said do it now!"

"We're all gonna die."

"…that's a little dramatic, Drew. I mean, we can put it back in if I'm wrong."

"Well, yeah, but the moment was heated, so I was just saying."

Relenting, Gary put on some mitts and pulled the turkey out. It had been cooking for hours, and upon its release, it instantly filled the kitchen with a smoky aroma that warmed the lungs and Ash's ego.

He smirked as an eyebrow shot up. "Guys, we did it."

Though no one was as surprised as Misty, even she admitted that the feast they had begun preparing the night before smelled great.

"Come on into the dining room, guys. We have the table set!" she offered, picking up a casserole and leading the way.

Once everything was set in place, the group gave a prayer of thanks, and began to dig in.

"So does it taste good?"

"Yes, Ash."

"No really, let me know if you don't like it."

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

"Full of the food I made, right?"

"Ugh, I'm never gonna hear the end of this."

Down the table, Drew remained largely silent as May held one of her usual one-sided conversations.

"So Dawn told me about a great café in Goldenrod that sounds just like that one we love in New Bark Town! I was surprised a big city would have a similar one, but she said they even sold those little…"

Further still, Dawn and Gary struggled for conversation at first.

"So…"

"Food's good. You guys did great."

"Heh, yeah, thanks."

Grinning, Dawn gave the researcher a wink. "Much better than I expected a bunch of guys to do."

He laughed a little, and the atmosphere instantly loosened from its tense grip.

"Well, I don't wanna brag, but I did make the mashed potatoes myself."

"Hm, a chef and a scientist. You've got an impressive résumé."

"Of course," he winked back. "I'm Gary Oak."

As the night wore on, Ash noticed Drew growing pale and getting more fidgety in his seat.

"Let me go talk with him for a minute," he explained to Misty, before leaving the table and motioning to Drew.

The two went to the bedroom for some privacy. "So is tonight the night?"

"I think so."

"I could tell."

"I still look nervous, huh?"

"Just a little."

"So how did you deal with it?"

"I guess I just played it off like a Pokémon battle. You know that nervous feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you're about to step out and everyone's cheering for you and screaming at you?"

"Kinda. I've been in some big contests like that."

"Exactly. Were you nervous then?"

"Well, yeah. Not this much though. I can't stop shaking."

"Just play it off. You have to believe in yourself. Just like a contest or battle, you have to tell yourself you are the best and you deserve to be here. Do that, and it gets a little easier."

He nodded. "Thanks, Ash. Can I borrow your room for a minute to settle down?"

"Sure, just come back when you're ready."

Going back, Ash noticed everyone was now up and the girls were cleaning the table and dishes.

"Since you guys did such a great job with the meal, we decided we could do the cleanup," Misty explained. "Which doesn't mean I was completely wrong. Gary told me about your late night call to Brock yesterday _on his honeymoon_. So, technically, you had help and couldn't do this on your own."

Ash rolled his eyes. "You know I'm right…just say it once and I'll stop bugging you."

Taking a moment, and appearing to think hard, she finally gave in. "Fine." She put the dishes down that she held, and announced to the room. "Can I have everyone's attention? I was wrong, and Ash was right. He cooked a great meal."

Gary clapped sarcastically, and the girls just laughed as they went back to their work.

"Hey guys," Drew announced, coming back in and sitting with Ash and Gary in front of the television. "So what's up?" He appeared notably more relaxed – though still quite nervous.

"Glad to see my advice helped."

"It did. Thanks."

"So do we wanna watch Rudolph or something?" Ash asked, flipping through the channels. "It's all Christmas movies right now."

"Actually," Gary answered, standing, "I'm gonna go hang out with the girls a little more." He quickly made a line for the counter space across from Dawn's spot at the sink, and the two were immediately engaged in heavy conversation once again.

The night went on and eventually the dishes were cleaned and put away. As the clock neared midnight, the conversation turned to presents.

"C'mon Mist! Just let us open one each!"

"I'm with Ash," May announced. "I want to open Drew's!"

"We should wait, guys," Dawn interjected. "It ruins Christmas if you open presents early."

"I agree with her," Gary affirmed.

"And besides, Ash, we all know if you open one, you'll end up opening all of them," Misty reminded with a wink. "You're such a little boy sometimes."

He pouted and folded his arms. "Am not."

"Aww." She couldn't resist. "Okay, how about this? It's eleven fifty-eight. At midnight we can each open one present."

"Sounds perfect!" Drew shot up, surprising everyone. "Let me go first."

"Uh, okay," she answered, bemused.

Surprising his friends even more, the coordinator instantly turned to May, who was seated, and got down on one knee before her. In that one second, all the air in the room was sucked out in a collective gasp.

"No. Way."

"Yes!"

"Wow."

"Oh my gosh, is he gonna…"

"Pika!"

"Lo…"

"Pip!"

Despite their wonder, Drew stayed focused on May. The two looked like they'd forgotten anyone else was even in the room.

"May, I love you so much…will-will you marry me?"

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Hey Everybody! Well what'd you think? Since he proposed at 11:59, tomorrow the chapter will begin at midnight, and we'll see what May answered with.

However, y'all may be surprised to learn that I actually don't know what May's answer is going to be. You see, I'm going to take a fan poll…though not a normal one.

This is a special message for my girlfriend of almost two years: EMILY! DO NOT TURN AROUND! If you're reading this right now, then that means that my plan worked out perfectly, and right now we're outside on that pretty lit stage behind the community center. It's nighttime and I told you to read these author notes while I went to get something. In a minute, I want you to turn around, but first I want to say something on here that I'm gonna be too nervous at the moment to say in real life.

Emily, you're the love of my life. You make my life so much better to live. You make it worth living at all. You're everything I ever wanted in a woman. You're sweet, patient, loving, and kind. You're very selfish of me, which is excellent since I'm the same with you. You put up with my temper when it flares, and you believe in me even when I doubt myself (rare, I know, haha). You make the best cakes and brownies and chicken fried steak (promise!). You're a good Christian who always tries to do the right thing, and you love God with all your heart. You accept me for all that I am and all the mistakes that I've made.

Like I said, you're everything I want and need, and I want to spend the rest of my life making yours the most comfortable and perfect it can be. I want to marry you and have children with you and grow old with you. I want to make you the wife and mother you've told me it is your dream to be.

I know it's not the most fluent or poetic thing I've ever written, and it's riddled with clichés, but this is how I feel, and I hope you feel the same way because I'm about to ask you something, very, very important.

When you turn around you're gonna see a very nervous guy on one knee (probably with hands shaking) holding out that ring I showed you. Whatever your answer to my proposal is, will be the answer that May gives in the next chapter and, more importantly, the answer to whether or not everything I've written up there will actually come true.

Okay, turn around.


	12. On the Twelfth Day

**Hey Everybody!** It's officially the last day of Christmas! I want to thank you all – viewers and reviewers alike – for joining me on this journey. It's been such a joy writing this and reading all your thoughts and opinions. Obviously, last chapter was a big one not just for our protagonists May and Drew, but also for Texas Longhorn and Texas Longhorn Girlfriend! So to answer all of the many reviews asking how it went…well, I'll let May give the answer for me. For the last time, read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!

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All was silent as the clock turned to midnight.

May stared down at Drew, tears slowly filling her eyes. Though the moment seemed interminable to him, to everyone else her answer was almost immediate.

"Yes!"

In an instant, solemnity turned to celebration. Everyone spontaneously burst from their seats and into each others' arms. May and Drew embraced as the brunette began to cry tears of joy.

"I love you so much," she whispered amongst all the cries of congratulations.

He squeezed her close to his heart. "I love you more."

As the celebrations continued, Misty relented on her one present rule. "There's no way anyone's going to sleep soon with all the excitement now, so we may as well!"

Everyone joyfully obliged and leapt for their respective presents. May, in addition to her ring, received a book on coordinating tactics. Drew got a green polo shirt from Gary, "to go with your hair." Ash received a six set of ultra balls, and Misty got a pair of Cerulean pearl earrings.

As the others opened their gifts and admitted to being the others' Santa, Dawn opened a box to find a framed portrait of a glamour shot taken during one of her recent contests.

"Wow," she muttered.

"You're welcome," Ash smiled, standing over her. "I saw this picture in a news article a few months ago after you won in Goldenrod, and so I had it blown up."

She blushed. "Thank you so much! This is so thoughtful!" Jumping up, she gave him a strong hug.

"And that's not all. I have another present."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Well, actually, it's from Misty. She told Gary that you wanted to talk out on the patio."

"Huh?"

He motioned towards the back door. "He's waiting for you."

"Oh…"

Her heart began to pound as she walked outside. Sure enough, Gary was standing there, leaning over the railing and staring out at the night sky.

"Er, hi."

He jumped a little. "H-hey! Misty told me you wanted to talk?"

"Well, yeah, I guess I did."

"Is this about what happened the other night?"

Though she hadn't planned any of this, she found herself nodding. "I just don't know what happened. You said you weren't sick, but you sure seemed like it."

"Well…" He squirmed and looked down at his shoes. "I mean, I was having a good time too."

"So why'd you act so strange at the end? We were having so much fun! I even thought – well, never mind."

His curiosity piqued instantly. "Wait, no. What? What did you think?"

"I-I just…I guess…" She took a deep breath and blurted it out at once. "I thought you liked me."

Gary's mind went from zero to a thousand miles in a heartbeat. "W-what?"

"Yeah, I thought you liked me and were just gonna kiss me or something. That seemed to be the way the night was going, you know? I mean, I never let guys kiss me on the first date, but when we were out it just felt so right and familiar…I mean, it's like we picked up right where we left off."

Gary took a moment to process it all as his breath slowly clouded his view. In the interim, they stood silently as the noise from the party rung faintly from within.

"I can't believe it."

"What?"

"I-I knew that you liked me."

"What?" Dawn's already-rosy cheeks turned scarlet. "How'd you know?"

"Ash told me. He said you liked me before I asked you out."

Now Dawn took a moment. "Well then, why were you so weird at the end? If you knew I liked you, then it should have made it that much easier."

"I know it seems like it, but for me it didn't. You see, I didn't even know you were gonna be here, and then when you were and I found out you liked me…"

"Yeah?" she pressed.

"It just made me want to make the kiss perfect. I should've followed Ash's lead and not thought at all."

She giggled. "You really wanted it to be perfect?"

"Well, yeah. Since I knew you liked me, I was worried near the end that I would mess it all up. It just got to be a lot of pressure."

"Why'd you want it to be perfect?"

"Like I said, because I didn't wanna mess this up."

"You mean…us?"

He gave a slight nod. "I thought there was something there when we were in Goldenrod. I even stayed an extra day just to hangout with you more, but back then it just felt like we were getting to know each other. When you came here and we went out, it was definitely more than getting to know each other, and I just panicked a little."

She withheld another chuckle at how ashamed he looked. Gary Oak was always a proud guy, and seeing him so humbled at the thought of messing up their relationship only made her like him more.

"You know what?"

He looked up. "Hm?"

"Maybe you shouldn't have to deal with all that pressure on your own."

"What do-?" He was cut short as she wrapped her hands behind his neck and leaned in for a long kiss.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Inside, Ash was telling a joke to May and Drew.

"Ash?"

"Oh, Mist, I was just telling them that joke about the guy in Johto!"

She seemed distracted. "Uh, yeah, well we need to talk for a minute. Would you guys excuse us?"

Drew and May looked at each other and shrugged. "Of course."

Walking back to their bedroom, Misty closed the door and grabbed Ash by the arm.

"What is it, Mist?"

With trembling hands, the strawberry blond reached into her back pocket and pulled out a stick.

"What is this?"

A small smile flickered across her lips as she looked up. "A pregnancy test."

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**Author's Notes:** So there you have it! She said yes! I'm so grateful to all of my wonderful reviewers who gave their sincerest congratulations and well-wishes! Next step is wedding bells for me! And, of course, for my wonderful readers, a possible sequel is already in the works for next year, so please keep your eyes peeled! Until then, I want to thank you all once again for being a part of this great adventure. Please, if you enjoyed this, check out my other Christmas fics and my main story "A New Journey" (now almost 2,000 reviews strong!). As always, REVIEW PLEASE, and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!


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